CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — 49 years to the day, the family of an Iowa veteran finally received recognition for his heroics.

Rep. Bruce Braley presented a host of medals to the family of Hugh Hubbard for his service during a ceremony in Cedar Rapids Monday morning. Hubbard was a special forces soldier who served six tours in Vietnam, as well as in Korea, before retiring in 1975. Hubbard died in 2009 but his family says today’s ceremony finally brings them some closure.

“We had to submit a lot of paperwork with the Army,” said Rodney Clarke, Hubbard’s son-in-law. “It adds a finality to everything. It’s an honor to finally get his medals straightened out.”